A few hours had passed since I left the Realm of Summoning that Ethan had called me to.
I woke up to Luna's voice.
"Klo, it's morning. Wake up."
I slowly opened my eyes to see her already dressed in the academy uniform.
I straightened myself, forcing my body to sit up and stared at her.
"Aren't I beautiful in this outfit?" Luna stepped away from me, spinning around joyfully in her clothes.
I raised my thumb in approval.
"Aren't you going to change your clothes, Klo?"
"Ah, I... yeah, I'll do that."
I got up, dragging myself to change, hating the fact that I had to go to school again.
Damn it, before my reincarnation, I was in high school—and now I'm back to studying in an academy that's even more complicated than the place I used to be in.
After changing, Luna and I stood in front of the mirror, inspecting our outfits.
"Don't we look like prodigies?"
"I look like the school bully, Luna."
Luna laughed while staring at herself in the mirror.
Knock knock
I opened the door to find Nevin standing there.
She burst into laughter the moment she saw me and Luna in our uniforms.
"Klo, are you going to make Luna help you pass exams by letting you cheat off her?"
I slammed the door in her face and went back to what I was doing. She opened it again, still wiping tears from her eyes.
"Sorry, Klo, but it's just too weird seeing a married couple going to the same school."
"Leave."
"Alright, alright. Elithia told me you both enrolled in the academy, so I came to congratulate you."
"Thank you, Nevin," Luna said.
"Well, I'll get going then."
Before she closed the door behind her, I stopped her.
"Wait, Nevin."
She paused, peeking her head through the gap in the door.
"Yeah?"
"I want to start our project."
"Aren't you going to school?"
"Don't worry. It's just a quick idea that popped into my head."
And it might help me this academic year.
"Hit me with it."
"A handheld device that records audio and video and stores them internally."
"...What?"
"You heard me."
Nevin blinked in surprise, then jumped in excitement, clapping.
"Now that's Klo!"
Luna walked toward us, scratching her head.
"Where did you get that idea from, Klo?"
"I don't know. It just came to me. Might sound crazy."
"…"
After we finished talking, we left the room. Luna and I headed to the academy.
…
Once we arrived, we stood before its gates, where I encountered that guard again. He froze in place, trembling and shouting.
"I'm Eve, sir! Really sorry!"
Luna looked at me, nudging me with her elbow.
"Tell me—you did something bad, didn't you?"
"Uh, you could say that."
Luna squinted at me.
"But they started it. You know me well."
She turned her gaze away. Lucky for me she didn't get mad—otherwise we'd have a domestic incident on school grounds.
We entered the academy, and the first person we ran into was the headmaster.
He stretched both arms out in front of him, smiling.
"I knew you'd come, Klo Yuthnir. And who might today's guest be?"
"My wife. She's enrolling in the academy too."
"Oh, how wonderful. The lovely couple wants to study and graduate under one roof. I'll ensure your comfort—and assign you a shared room."
I waved my hand dismissively to get out of the awkward conversation.
"Do whatever you want. I just want to look around. And don't tell anyone we're married."
The headmaster stepped aside, letting us continue on our way.
We walked until we reached the fountain.
"It's beautiful, Klo."
"Yeah. Listen, Luna, I'll be gone for a while. I'll come back to you. Deal?"
"...Don't cause trouble, please."
"Got it."
I left and headed toward one of the academy's shadowy corners.
Time to execute phase one.
I stood still in the shadows until a group of tall boys approached me.
"Hey trash, what are you doing in our den?"
Hehehe... You've walked right into my trap.
"M-Me? Sorry, I didn't know."
I began to tremble, boosting their arrogance.
"Haha! Look at him shake. Must be a newbie. Let's teach him a lesson."
I stepped back and ran away from them.
I got a few feet away before one of them used magic.
I smiled, widening my eyes at the idiot coming at me.
"Thanks, dumbass."
I used gravity magic on his leg—severing it clean off.
I stopped and turned to face the boy screaming in agony.
"Aaaaah, my leg, what the hell—!"
The others swarmed around me to beat me up.
"What did you do to his leg, you bastard!"
I started laughing, twisting in place, covering my mouth.
"Why are you laughing!?"
One of them charged at me, only to get paralyzed mid-air by gravity magic and drop to the ground, helpless.
"How about serving me instead?"
"Why would we serve someone like you?" one of them said.
I sighed, staring at them.
"Then you're forcing me to use... other methods."
I opened the system window and activated the Writer's Panel ability.
I scanned each one of their pasts.
Then my eyes caught someone interesting from the group.
I smiled wide, unable to hide it.
"Why are you smiling, freak?"
"Hey, Jeremy. What did you do to your friend Ryan back in your village?"
"...What are you talking about, lunatic?"
I stared at him with my glowing red eyes.
I stepped closer and tapped my finger on his forehead with a face that looked... disturbing.
"You know exactly what I mean. Don't play dumb, Jeremy… we all have secrets."
I stepped back, hopping backward in odd patterns.
"We all have secrets… We all have secrets…" I chanted those words while circling him.
"I… I didn't do anything."
"Really? What about the accusation you made against him that turned everyone against him?" I whispered in his ear.
"You're delusional, freak."
"Oh yeah? Then why did you frame him for killing Elizabeth, you bastard ?!"
"Were you scared? No.
Were you trying to run away? No.
Then what? There's only one answer… you wanted revenge on someone with higher status than you."
He froze, unable to move.
"Is that true, Jeremy?" Ryan asked, clutching his severed leg.
"You believe him, Ryan? He's lying."
"You're right. Jeremy wouldn't do that. Leave us alone, freak."
I stopped, tilted my head, and placed my hand under my chin while staring at Ryan.
"Oh, I see. You two are best buddies."
I walked up to Ryan and tapped his forehead.
"How about a memory upload?"
The Writer's Panel had another ability—sharing memories.
I sent the memories I'd seen straight into Ryan's mind, forming vivid images.
Everything Jeremy had done. The betrayal. The pain.
Ryan started crying after the vision ended. Then lunged at Jeremy.
While they fought, I stood back and watched like it was a wrestling match between bears.
Blood and insults flew everywhere.
I figured it was time to stop. I got up with a smile.
"Enough."
They didn't listen.
I used magic to throw them apart.
Each one slammed into the opposite side of the alley.
"Let me go. I need to finish him off!"
"Screw you! I wanted to break him more before I destroyed him!"
"Sigh... Humans.
Stop this idiotic fight or I'll kill you both without hesitation."
They froze when they heard my words.
"Cut this crap, or I'll expose all your secrets—to everyone, even outside the kingdom."
They both looked at me, ears wide open.
"How about working for me? I'll heal your leg."
"And the reward?"
"There is none."
"Then we're not working for you."
"Alright, I'll use a different method."
I walked to the academy's main hall and leapt to the highest point where everyone could see and hear me.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Remember that exam you all failed? Ryan is the one who tampered with the answer sheets. If you want proof, raise your hands."
Everyone raised their hands. I used mana to project a giant screen showing what Ryan did—it looked like a security recording.
"Stop! Stop it!"
"Hmm? What was that? I can't hear you."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll work under you!"
I smiled and pulled my finger back from his forehead.
"What…?"
Ryan stared at me as I walked away.
"What did you do?"
"Hmm, just made you live in a delusion crafted by my hand."
"Goddamn you," Ryan whispered.
"What was that?" I stepped closer, twirling my ears with my fingers.
"Nothing."
I chuckled lightly, watching their dead expressions.
"I'm leaving. If you ever do something I can't forgive—say goodbye to the life you cling to."
I walked off, barely holding in my laughter.
Phase one—successful.